For parents, the thought of a sex offender being a risk to their child is enough to give them nightmares.

But did you know that, as a parent, you are allowed to ask the police for information related to convicted sex offenders?, the Bristol Post reports.

Paedophiles are required to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for a good reason. This isn't about persecuting criminals after they have served their sentences – but about protecting the most vulnerable.

But how can you find out if any of those offenders are living near your child, and if your children are at risk?

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What is Sarah's Law?

The child sex offender disclosure scheme in England and Wales (also referred to as "Sarah's Law"), allows anyone to ask the policeif a person with access to a child has a record for child sexual offences.

Police will reveal details confidentially only to the person most able to protect the child (usually parents, carers or guardians) if they think it is in the child's best interests.

Who goes on the Sex Offenders' Register?

A wide variety of people are on the Sex Offenders' Register each year, after receiving a caution or being convicted of an offence.

This could be, for example, a man who received a caution for having smacked a girl on the buttocks while she was passing him on the street, a 22-year-old female teacher who had sexual intercourse with her 15-year-old student, or at the very serious end of the scale, someone like Roy Whiting, who killed Sarah Payne.

Similarly, sex offenders are on the Sex Offenders' Register for differing lengths of time, depending on the type of the offence:

A jail term of 30 months to life = remain on the register indefinitely

A jail term of 6 to 30 months = registration for 10 years

A sentence of less than 6 months = on the register for seven years

A community order sentence = on the register for five years

A caution issued = on the register for two years

With the exception of prison sentences of 30 months or more, minors (offenders under the age of 18) will have their registration period halved.

How do I access the information?

Important: If you feel a child is in immediate danger, you should call 999 straight away.

In all other circumstances that are not an emergency, you can request information relating to a child that you are in a position to protect or safeguard by calling 101 or visit your local police station.

Alternatively you can go to a police station and ask them for a 'Child Sex Offenders Disclosure Scheme Form' (Sarah's Law), or Form 284.

If police checks show the individual has a record for child sexual offences, or other offences that might put the child at risk, the police will consider sharing this information.

You should know that disclosure is not guaranteed - the police will only consider telling the person best placed to protect the child – usually a parent, carer or guardian – if the person being checked has a record of child sexual offences or other offences that indicate they may pose a risk to a child.

The police will disclose information only if it is lawful, necessary and proportionate to do so in the interests of protecting the child, or children, from harm.